1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a vehicle body side structure for obtaining rigidity against impact energy upon a side impact of a vehicle with obstacles, or upon a roll over of the vehicle.
2. Description of Related Art
Conventionally, a vehicle body side structure which absorbs impact energy upon a side impact of a vehicle with obstacles or upon a roll over of the vehicle has been known, which is disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Patent Laid-open Publication No. H05-56758 (see FIG. 3 and FIG. 4).
As shown in FIG. 5, the vehicle body side structure disclosed in the Japanese Utility Model Patent Laid-open Publication No. H05-56758 includes a first impact absorber 500 made of a foaming resin between a stiffener 300 disposed inside an outer panel 200 of a pillar 100 and an inner panel 400, and a second impact absorber 600 made of a foaming resin on a floor panel. In a lower portion of the pillar 100, a seat belt retractor 700 for winding up a seat belt is disposed inside the pillar. The seat belt retractor 700 is disposed between the first impact absorber 500 and second impact absorber 600 so as to absorb the impact energy upon a side impact of the vehicle with obstacles.
The vehicle body side structure constituted as described above can effectively absorb impact energy applied to a vehicle interior direction (direction of arrow a) from a vehicle exterior side portion.
However, in the vehicle body side structure disclosed in the Japanese Utility Model Patent Laid-open Publication No. H05-56758, as shown in FIG. 5, the pillar 100 can not absorb an impact force when the impact force is applied to an upper portion, which is above the seat belt retractor 700, of the pillar 100 upon a side impact or roll over of the vehicle in a direction of an arrow b from the vehicle exterior side portion.
As a result, a part of the pillar 100 may be buckling-distorted by receiving a bending moment in the vehicle interior direction (direction of arrow c).
The present invention has been developed for solving the above issue.
It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a vehicle body side structure which has improved bending rigidity against an impact force upon a side impact or roll over of the vehicle.